There remains a need for permanent magnet materials in electric motors for many applications and in other magnet-containing articles of manufacture. Cerium-iron compounds are attractive candidates to explore as potential permanent magnet materials. However, they have a low Curie temperature which will impede their use in major automotive applications (e.g., traction motors) because they will not retain sufficient magnetic properties in a device at elevated operating temperatures. It appears that if cerium-iron materials are to be thus utilized their compositions will have to be modified.